Tim Kiene,
1B
JR South Windsor, CT
The Report: Kiene
battled injuries throughout the 2013 season and only played 8 games. With
freshman LaMonte Wade taking a stranglehold on first base, it appears Kiene’s
only chance to play next year is as the designated hitter, which won’t help his
draft stock.
The Good: Kiene is a
massive man with massive power. His swing is smooth and he almost always hits the
ball hard. A .270 average in the Cape Cod League last year will encourage
scouts to give him a chance.
The Bad: Kiene is
average defensively and strikes out a lot. As mentioned above, his playing time
is very much in question next year.
The Bottom
Line: Tim is a typical power hitter with a world of potential but may
have to transfer to find a position on the infield. If he gets picked, he’ll
likely sign.
Photo: power-showcase.com
Prediction: With only 25
at bats this year, it stands to reason that Kiene will not even be considered.
However, if scouts liked what they saw at the Cape last summer, they could take
a chance on Kiene in the late rounds.
Chances to get
picked: 20-30%
Michael
Montville, OF
JR Portsmouth, NH
The Report: Montville
won Gatorade Player of the Year in New Hampshire not once, but twice. So you
know he’s a talent. But for now, a professional career is likely on hold as he missed
most of the 2013 season with elbow problems, making just 10 starts.
The Good: Michael has
legit power. He has a good frame (6-2 / 200) to be a corner outfielder and has
the kind of bat you want from that position. He’s solid on defense too,
featuring a plus arm.
The Bad: Montville
has a big swing and strikes out way too much. He’ll need to develop a better
two-strike approach.
The Bottom
Line: Montville’s career average is in the .230’s. Shortening up to
raise the average and striking out less is imperative for scouts to see him as
a pro hitter.
Prediction: Michael has
not yet played a full college season in his career, starting 76 games over three
seasons. He’ll have to put it all together for a full season to have a chance. But if he does, his stock could skyrocket given his natural ability.
Ben
Brewster, LHP
JR Baltimore, MD
The Report: The results
have always been positive for Ben Brewster. He has a unique delivery in which
he slides his entire body at the plate before releasing the ball. He uses a
three-quarters arm slot and essentially pitches from 55 feet because of his
motion. With the unorthodoxed look and fastball velocity in the upper-80s, many
hitters have a tough time catching up to his heater.
The Good: He stuck
out nine batters in six innings and only allowed one earned run.
The Bad: He only
pitched six innings.
The Bottom
Line: Brewster has gradually bulked up over the past five years and
progressively added velocity. He is a very intelligent young man and knows how
to pitch, all of which was explained in this article published by
DriveLineBaseball.com: http://www.drivelinebaseball.com/2011/03/05/interview-with-umd-pitcher-ben-brewster/
Prediction: Scouts
really don’t know what he is, or whether his delivery is even legal. But if
Brewster’s workload increases in 2014 and the good results
continue, he’ll have a chance to go pro. He is a prototypical left-handed
specialist at the next level.
Chance to get
picked this year: 0%
Next Year: 10-30%
Blake
Schmit, SS
JR Eden Prairie, MN
The Report: Schmit is a
defensive wizard. This panel unanimously names him the best defensive shortstop
we’ve ever seen. The Minnesota native is a highlight reel waiting to happen
every time he steps on the diamond. He has infinite range to either side, a
good arm and is as athletic as any player in the country. Despite transferring
from junior college, Schmit carried himself like he belonged right from day
one, becoming the everyday shortstop.
The Good: Obviously
his defense is what jumps out, but Blake can hit, too. He goes the other way
when necessary and has some pop to the pull side. He’s still adjusting to the
ACC level of pitching, but a .277 average in his first season at Maryland is
awfully promising. Once he makes more consistent solid contact, he has the
potential to hit for more power as well.
The Bad: Schmit had
trouble catching up to hard fastballs at times.
The Bottom
Line: Teams may wait to see him duplicate his first ACC season before
giving him a chance. His ceiling is as high as anyone on the Terps roster as he
has the ability to be a legitimate professional shortstop.
Prediction: Someone may
try and steal him away from Maryland in the late rounds by paying him overslot,
but chances are he’ll stay in College Park one more year and could be a
blue-chip prospect this time next year.
Chance to get
picked: 20-30%
Next year: 60-80%
To see what Schmit can do on defense, check out these videos: Schmit's Spectacular Playing JUCO in Iowa
Blake's Diving Catch against Miami in 2013
Blake's Diving Catch against Miami in 2013
Schmit explains his decision to become a Terp
Chase
Tokunaga, LHP
JR Wailuku, HI
The Report: Tokunaga
struggled in limited action after transferring to Maryland from Feather River
College. With a fastball around 80 mph., he’ll have to rely on deception to
have any success at the D-I level.
Jake
Stinnett, RHP
JR Vista, CA
The Report: Stinnett has
more pro potential than anyone on the Maryland roster. He began the year as the
team’s closer because of his big fastball and mental makeup, but was moved into
the rotation mid-season. He blossomed as a starter and became one of the ACC’s
best, lowering his ERA from 8.10 to 2.83 by season’s end. On top of his
plus-stuff, Stinnett’s motion is extremely simple and easy to repeat. He has a
good head on his shoulders too, posting a 4.47 cumulative GPA in high school.
The Good: Stinnett’s
fastball-slider combo is pretty much Big League ready, with the heater touching
93 and a big power slider that’s proven to be unhittable at the college level. His
command is always on-point and he pounds the strike zone, having walked only 24
batters in 63 innings. At 6-4, 202 pounds, his projectability is immense and
many professional coaches would kill to get their hands on a talent like
Stinnett.
The Bad: Stinnett has
literally half a season of starting pitching under his belt in college. He was
recruited to play infield and worked sparingly as a reliever in his first two
years in College Park. He’s battled bouts with inconsistency too, having failed
to reach the fourth inning in two of his starts this year.
Photo: diamondbackonline.com
The Bottom
Line: Stinnett’s command and mental makeup should eliminate any
concerns about his inexperience. His upside is tremendous, and scouts have
taken notice in 2013. Even with all the freshman talent that has arrived in
College Park, it was Stinnett who the scouts came out to see. He WILL be picked
and could garner some high prospect grades once he’s there.
Prediction: Jake could
drop because of his signability. He could certainly return to Maryland for one
more year and anchor a strong but young staff in 2014, a la Jimmy Reed. Because
of that, I bet MLB teams stay away from him in the early rounds and pick him in
the rounds 8-16 region. But if he was a senior this year, he could go as early
as round 3.
100%
Chance to Get Picked
Rounds
5-20
Jamie
Pashuck, LHP
JR Christiana, PA
The Report: Pashuck has
had success over the past two years as a reliever. With a repertoire that lacks
ACC-caliber stuff, it’ll be difficult to for him to attract professional
attention. But if his workload increases next year and he continues to get
outs, you never know.
Brady
Kirkpatrick, RHP
JR Eugene, OR
The Report: Kirkpatrick
has had a roller coaster career at Maryland, as his performance has wavered
from legitimate ace to last in the pecking order of relievers. His stuff
remains solid, with his success reliant upon his ability to locate. His
fastball is 87-88 and he throws a curveball and changeup as well.
The Good: When he’s
on, Kirkpatrick rolls. He’s at his best when pitching to contact and pounding the perimeter of the zone, which keeps his pitch count very low. When he’s on,
he can throw all three pitches for strikes and controls the pace of the game. Also,
Brady’s motion is extremely repeatable and his mechanics never seem to be an issue. He is
even-keeled on the mound and many young pitchers on the staff look up to him as
a role model.
The Bad: Kirkpatrick
has floundered in the final few weeks of the season each of the past two years,
which raises questions about his durability and focus. His results didn’t just
decline, they plummeted as he failed to reach the third inning of his starts before
moving to the bullpen, where he battled bouts of wildness.
Photo: marylandfb.blogspot.com
The Bottom
Line: When he has all three pitches working, he’s one of the most
effective pitchers in the conference and can be an absolute innings eater.
However, Kirkpatrick will need to find some consistency before any team
considers him.
Prediction: None of
Kirkpatrick’s pitches would be considered plus-offerings in the pro ranks, so
the results will need to be there in order for a club to give him a chance.
Chance to get
picked this year: 0%
Next Year: 5-10%
Kyle
Convissar, 2B
JR Severna Park, MD
The Report: Convissar
is a consummate professional with one of the best brains in the game. A
perennial all-academic performer, the Severna Park native has the methodical
style of hitting you’d expect from such an intelligent individual. His
.325/.427/.427 line is one of the best in the ACC. He is a very complete hitter
and has improved his numbers in each of his three years in College Park.
The Good: Convissar
sprays the ball to all fields with authority. He takes the ball where it’s
pitched and never tries to do too much. He’s a tough out every time up: he
works the count, fouls off innumerable pitches and is very tough to strike out.
He has some pop too, stoking 13 extra-base-hits this season and several doubles
off the wall.
The Bad: Convissar
doesn’t really have a position. He’s played exclusively second base with the
Terps and done so adequately. However, he is a bigger body and only average
athletically, so he may project better at third base or a corner outfield spot.
His arm is good enough to play any of those positions.
Photo: diamondbackonline.com
The Bottom
Line: Convissar’s production and intangibles are good enough to be a
pro right now. However, his herky-jerky style of play may scare some scouts
away.
Prediction: Kyle can be a doubles machine at the next
level. He has proven he can hit the finest pitching, and combined with his
baseball IQ, he should get a chance, even if it’s not this year.
Chances to get
picked: 50-60%
This year: 30-40%
No comments:
Post a Comment